For the sake of upcoming Virtual Assistants I have compiled the list of must have software. Please note that you can obtain a lot of them at no cost.  So here goes: Microsoft Office (Including Word, Excel, Powerpoint) Microsoft Outlook (Task management, email, calendar, contact management) Antivirus (Avast, Norton etc) Time Tracking Software (Timestamp) PDF Creator (Cutepdf) Web Design/ Publisher (Microsoft Frontpage) FTP Software (Smartftp) Instant Messenger (Skype) Adobe Reader LogMeIn (Remote Access) Gimp (Desktop Publishing) Evernote (Get organized) Express Scribe (Transcription) There is a short list of the software that I use almost daily. There is another point that I want to emphasize and that is the use of free email clients (gmail, hotmail, yahoo). Until you obtain your own domain name try using you the name given by your Internet Service Provider, for eg, tstt, cwjamaica, etc. Thats it for now, comments and additions to the list are always welcome. CRG

There are a few Virtual Assistants who have established offices outside of the home. However the vast majority still operate outside of their home offices. There are quite a few challenges to consider when you set up an office at home but I will leave those for another day. Today I will focus on the benefits of working at home, here are a few benefits: Get a competitive advantage. As a virtual assistant you can reduce your overhead if you set up and work out of a home office. Money saved from not having to pay a monthly rent can be used to market your business or pay for membership at your local chamber of commerce. Reduced overhead can give you an edge on your competitors by offering lower rates to your customers. Reduced Stress. No deadlines to meet, unless they are self imposed. No drama at the office or stress over getting that promotion. You can set your own schedule around family time and commitments. Personal Freedom. Set your own goals and work when you want to. Save Money. For me, working at home meant saving on gasoline, commute time and business suits. Of course this does not give you permission to dress sloppy, it just means that you don't have a buy a new suit every month. It also meant a significant saving on daycare. Family Time. One of the most important benefit of working at home is the ability to spend time with family on your own terms. Personal Development. I cannot express fully what working at home has given me in terms of personal development. As a Virtual Assistant, like many other business owners, I have to wear a variety of hats throughout the day. I have learned to manage the books, build a website, desktop publishing and write a book, to name a few. Increase Productivity. I know a monthly income depend on my productivity. This inspires creativity as each month I seek new ways to increase my earning potential. I have a few benefits and I am sure that there are lots more. As you join this growing movement, please feel free to share your thoughts, I would love to hear your reasons for working at home. CRG

I sometimes get emails from various people wanting to know how to get a job as a Virtual Assistant. There is a vast difference between being a virtual worker looking for a virtual job and a virtual assistant seeking new clients for the business. It is important for upcoming VAs to understand the difference because it has a huge impact on the success of your business. First of all the manner in which you respond to employment ads is very different. Truth be told VAs respond to Request for Proposals (RFPs) by submitting a proposal which outlines the services they provide, rates and terms. The RFP will also include some background information and in some cases a portfolio. In some cases VAs looking to get started may respond to an ad for employment. In this case it is also unnecessary to submit a resume. Employees submit resumes. It is incorrect to state that you are looking for a job as a Virtual Assistant. VAs market their businesses to attract clients, they work on their own terms, provide their own equipment and software, pay their own taxes. A virtual assistant is a business owner and as such may work with a number of businesses. An employee typically works for one employer for a guaranteed number of hours weekly. I hope that you get my point because as upcoming VAs, understanding the difference between a VA and an employee, is crucial to the success of your business.

We have come a long way in the last few years due to changes in technology. We now have The iphone The Blackberry The ipod Email The internet Virtual Collaboration The Virtual Assistant Yes I have added the Virtual Assistant to that list. VAs are now the driving force behind many small and not so small businesses. So what is a Virtual Assistant anyway? I would say that a VA is a highly skilled professional and entrepreneur who provide services from a remote location to other entrepreneurs, businesses, executives etc. Due to the growing list of technologies a Virtual Assistant can now stay at home and provide the tasks normally assigned to the office assistant. Not only that, many VAs have gone so far as to provide web design, marketing, bookkeeping, desktop publishing, the possibilities are endless. As a Virtual Assistant I have worked with clients just up the street and clients thousands of miles away. Thats the beauty of working virtually, proximity does not matter. So do you have what it takes to move into this billion dollar industry? Well I must emphasize that you must have the capacity to help others. For me that is what being a Virtual Assistant is. The skills that I have perfected over the years has only been to make my clients shine. Aside from that you must be first rate at the services you decide to offer, you should have some business management skills, you should have an idea of how you would market your business. Finally you need to be motivated, motivation will take you through the rough spots. You can read more on motivation for Virtual Assistants here. Comments are always welcomed. Crystal FSE

Part of my business (and I am sure yours too) involves responding to RFP’s. I average at least ten a week and get about twenty percent of the jobs. Whether these are small projects or on-going retainers I have learned that there are some absolute musts when it comes to you job proposal. Outline Everything: Do not leave your potential client guessing. List your services, your rates and limit the grey areas. In fact, clear them up as much as possible. Paper Trail: I have developed a habit to saving all my correspondence with clients and potential clients. Its m way of covering my you know what in case there is ever a problem, for instance, non payment of invoices, etc. Include a clause for project changes: Often there may be changes in the requirements or responsibilities. To be prepared for this include a clause stating that any project changes will incur additional charges. Don’t forget the contract: Especially if you do not know or have no connection with the potential client. For most jobs it is customary to request a 50% advance before work commence. FSE